On March 19, OSCE participating States approved the 2026 Unified Budget proposal presented by the Swiss Chairpersonship-in-Office, thus ending the stalemate in which the organization had been operating since 2022.
The adoption of the budget follows extensive consultations among participating States within the Management and Finance Committee (ACMF) and is the result of the work carried out by the Swiss Chairpersonship-in-Office and the determination of all participating States to overcome a situation of uncertainty that had lasted for five years. This is a particularly important development, as it now provides the organization with a secure financial basis and predictable planning.
The new OSCE budget is characterized by a significant reduction in spending. The total value decreased from €138.2 million (UB2021) to €123 million, with an overall reduction of €15.1 million (-10.9%). The cuts were distributed equally among the Secretariat (-9.1% excluding CLS, ICT, and Mission Support Services), autonomous institutions (-8.1%), and missions (-8.9% for the Balkans; -8% for Moldova; -8% for Central Asia).
